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Statuette of a Male Deity

Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

On View: Old Kingdom to 18th Dynasty, Egyptian Galleries, 3rd Floor
This figure’s large wig and unusual clothing, which consists of a penis sheath attached to a belt, indicate that he is a deity, but his exact identity is uncertain. Made for either a temple or a king’s tomb, this statue was the product of a royal workshop, where very hard stone such as gneiss was finely and carefully modeled. This depiction of the god’s strong, youthful body reflects the ideal of the male form in Old Kingdom sculpture.
MEDIUM Gneiss
  • Place Made: Egypt
  • DATES ca. 2625-2500 B.C.E.
    DYNASTY Dynasty 4
    PERIOD Old Kingdom
    DIMENSIONS 8 1/2 × 3 3/4 × 3 1/2 in. (21.6 × 9.5 × 8.9 cm)  (show scale)
    ACCESSION NUMBER 58.192
    CREDIT LINE Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
    CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION Statuette in Khafre diorite of a standing man, perhaps a diety or nome god. Conventional pose, with left leg advanced, hands by sides, knife clasped in right hand. Plain wig, beard and Libyan phallic sheath. Sculpture stands against round-topped uninscribed stela. Preserved only to knees. Condition: Preserved only to knees. Right hand broken, left elbow chipped. Minor and scattered chips.
    MUSEUM LOCATION This item is on view in Old Kingdom to 18th Dynasty, Egyptian Galleries, 3rd Floor
    CAPTION Statuette of a Male Deity, ca. 2625-2500 B.C.E. Gneiss, 8 1/2 × 3 3/4 × 3 1/2 in. (21.6 × 9.5 × 8.9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 58.192. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 58.192_threequarter_SL1.jpg)
    IMAGE threequarter, 58.192_threequarter_SL1.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph
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    RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY
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